1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a wire harness assembly in which a wire harness extends between a movable structure such as a sliding door or a tailgate of a motor vehicle and a fixed structure on which the movable structure is mounted movably for feeding an electric part on the movable structure.
2. Background Art
In wire harnesses routed in a motor vehicle, for example, a wire harness for feeding an electric part on a movable structure such as a sliding door or a tailgate is routed to extend between the movable structure and a fixed structure such as a body frame on which the movable structure is movably mounted.
FIGS. 8 and 9 show conventional examples of such a wire harness routing structure.
A routing structure shown in FIG. 8 is disclosed in JP-A-2006-74980. A wire harness 101 that is to be routed is configured, for example, so that an extra length is imparted to an extension portion 107 between a fixed-side connecting portion 103 which is fixed to a fixed-side structure such as a body panel or a body frame and a movable-side connecting portion which is fixed to a movable structure such as a sliding door so as to permit a movement of the movable structure. The extension portion 107 is accommodated in a wire harness accommodation space 113 underneath a guide rail 111 in such a state that the extension portion 107 is deflected into a substantially U-shape. Thus, an abnormal displacement of the extension portion 107 is restricted which would otherwise occur in association with movement of the movable structure, and an interference of the extension portion 107 with a peripheral structure is prevented.
The guide rail 111 has a slider 115 which slides to move along moving directions (in FIG. 8, directions indicated by arrows A) of the movable structure, not shown. A part of the extension portion 107 which is accommodated in the harness accommodation space 113 and provided at the movable-side connecting portion 105 is connected to the slider 115.
The slider 115 is connected to the movable structure and moves along the guide rail in connection with the movement of the movable structure.
In the case of a routing structure shown in FIG. 9, an extension portion 107 is provided between a fixed-side connecting portion 103 and a movable-side connecting portion 105 of a wire harness that is to be routed. This extension portion 107 is wound into a wire harness accommodation box 121 for accommodation therein while being allowed to be unwound therefrom. Therefore, an abnormal displacement of the extension portion 107 is restricted which would otherwise occur in association with movement of the movable structure, and an interference of the extension portion 107 with a peripheral structure is prevented.
The wire harness accommodation box 121 has a reel which is provided rotatably within a box main body 123 for winding the extension portion 107 thereround and a bias part such as a spring for biasing the reel in a winding direction. An unwinding length of the extension portion 107 from the box main body 123 is controlled by the reel rotating in accordance with a moving amount of the movable structure.
However, since either of the conventional routing structures shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 has the guide rail 111 or the wire harness accommodation box 121 which accommodates the extension portion 107 therein, the number of constituent parts is increased largely. In addition, since the guide rail 111 and the wire harness accommodation box 121 have the complex structures, the production costs of systems which adopt these routing structures are increased.
In addition, due to the configuration in which the guide rail 111 and the wire harness accommodation box 121 surround their corresponding extension portion 107, the routing space is increased. Thus, conservation of space is made difficult.
Further, when the wire harness 101 is loosened as required in an attempt to allow it to follow the movable-side connecting portion 105, a peripheral space has to be taken more than necessary.